232 FELLING AND CONVERSION OF TIMBER. 



soundness, and throughout the renowned oak-forests of the 

 Spessart usually only 40 per cent., or at most 50 per cent., of 

 the felled oak-trees can he used as timber, the remainder 

 usually yielding only inferior firewood. [In the French State 

 forests of Berc6 and Belleme the percentage of oak to beech 

 and hornbeam is 50 and the yield in oak timber at least as 

 high as in the Spessart. Tr.] 



Pure alder-woods yield chiefly timber, but are, unfortunately, 

 decreasing in area, though greatly esteemed for the manufac- 

 ture of cigar-boxes. [In Britain they yield gunpowder char- 

 coal and clog-wood. Tr.] 



It is rare to obtain more timber than firewood from broad- 

 leaved forests ; the contrary prevails in coniferous woods, and 

 wherever conifers are grown, mixed with broadleaved trees, 

 they form splendid trees, and the yield of such forests in 

 valuable timber is very high. Woods of spruce, silver-fir, 

 and Scots pine [also larch in Britain. Tr.] or mixed forms 

 of these with beech as a subsidiary species are the chief kinds 

 of coniferous forests in Europe. In the case of spruce and 

 silver-fir woods, the timber yield may, under favourable 

 circumstances, go up to 75 to 80 per cent., and exceptionally 

 be even higher ; in forests of common pine, up to 55 to 70 per 

 cent., whilst in the north of Europe their yield in timber may 

 equal that of spruce and silver-fir. 



Coppice-with-standards, on good soil and well stocked, yields 

 fine timber; it is the only system capable of yielding the 

 hardest and most durable wood of oak and ash. 



Coppice yields chiefly firewood, and also small wood required 

 in agriculture, such as hop-poles, vine-props, hurdle-wood, 

 laundry-props, orchard and garden tree-props, crate-wood, 

 bean and pea-sticks, fascines and osiers. Also much pit- 

 wood for mines. 



ii. Shape of Trees. 



As a rule, large dimensions in length and diameter, and 

 straight and cylindrical stems, are required for the best 

 timber. A large diameter is generally more important than 

 great length, and it is trees of large diameter which are most 

 saleable at present. As this implies long rotations, the yield 



